


naivety

by vinndetta



Series: NaruMitsu Week 2020 [6]
Category: Tales of Symphonia, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: Altamira (Tales of Symphonia), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Tales of Symphonia Fusion, Getting Together, M/M, Minor Maya Fey/Franziska von Karma, Narumitsu Week 2020, Tales of Symphonia Spoilers, nmweek20
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:28:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25234684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vinndetta/pseuds/vinndetta
Summary: "Friends? ... I see."He says it like it's a foreign concept,Phoenix thinks to himself.Friends do things for each other, right?orThe Tales of Symphonia AU that no one asked for.
Relationships: Mitsurugi Reiji | Miles Edgeworth/Naruhodou Ryuuichi | Phoenix Wright
Series: NaruMitsu Week 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810987
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31
Collections: Narumitsu Week 2020





	naivety

**Author's Note:**

> prompt 6: au  
> WOW THIS IS LATE but hi everyone au time lmfao
> 
> -
> 
> notes:  
> phoenix wright is the chosen of sylvarant's childhood best friend  
> miles edgeworth is the chosen of tethe'alla
> 
> (so yes this is zelloyd lmao i have no shame)
> 
> phoenix = lloyd  
> miles = zelos  
> seles = franziska  
> iris = colette  
> maya = genis  
> mia = raine  
> ema(?) = sheena  
> ?? = presea  
> dick(?) = regal
> 
> for you tales of symphonia fans, YES this is the altamira suite scene ;)))))
> 
> i tried to provide context for those of you who have NO idea what tales of symphonia is, for which i say:  
> >please play it if you can, it goes on sale on steam for like 5 dollars once in a while and it is so worth it  
> >i'm sure there are summaries online that you can read that makes this make more sense  
> >but i tried myself to add in little thoughts and pieces of context that make this at least understandable  
> >and even then you don't necessarily need to understand the whole TOS story to like... read this and enjoy it anyway LMAO
> 
> anyway long author's note, sorry. have fun reading xoxo
> 
> dedicated to someone i love xoxo (shh its a secret ;3)

A knock on the door.

"C-come in!" Phoenix frantically jumps off the bed, standing near the door. It's ridiculous, how big this room is. Altamira's hotel is crazy fancy. Altamira itself looks like a place that came out of a dream - with a beautiful beach, an amusement park, and the most gorgeous suite to boot!

If Phoenix had thought the regular rooms were fancy, then this suite on the fifth, uppermost floor is a paradise.

The door slowly opens.

Standing there is Miles Edgeworth.

"Hey, Miles," Phoenix says, grin growing wide at the sight of him. "What are you doing up here?"

Miles glances around.

"You get an extra guest up here, don't you?"

Phoenix laughs a little. "Right. I do," he answers. 

It's a little _too_ convenient, that he's the millionth guest to the little city (he has a suspicion that it's because he's traveling with the president of the Lezareno Company, whose base is in Altamira, but he's not going to argue with free stuff). With a new pass to access the amusement park's rides and with a free night to stay in the most luxurious room in Altamira and probably all of Tethe'alla itself, how could he complain?

"You say this, but there's no one up here." Miles gives him a small smirk. "You're only a floor above us, but I could hear the sounds of your loneliness protruding from the ceiling in my room."

Phoenix snorts. "Really, Miles?"

Miles tilts his head. "Are you telling me you're not lonely?"

Phoenix plays along. "Are you telling me the walls are that thin in this fancy hotel?"

"It's just a joke," Miles quips back, struggling to not smile.

"I know." Phoenix grins widely. "I was just going with it."

"Mhm. Right." 

Miles looks back at Phoenix. 

For a second, his gaze lingers too long yet not long enough for Phoenix to register which part of his face he was staring so intensely at. 

"So are you going to let me in, or are you just going to stand there?"

"So nice of you to politely ask." Phoenix rolls his eyes, stepping away.

The Chosen of Tethe'alla, standing in his room. Anyone else would be ecstatic at this opportunity - with all the ladies that fall over him trying to get his attention.

But Phoenix's from Sylvarant, the other world. He knows nothing of the way everyone seems to latch onto Miles. Ever since they arrived in this parallel world, he's only ever seen Miles as just another person, despite his reputation.

"So what are you doing up here?"

"I already said, didn't I?" Miles raises an eyebrow, stepping inside and looking around. "You get this suite for free, plus a guest, and I don't see anyone around. That's a waste, wouldn't you say?"

Phoenix tilts his head. "So you've come to keep me company?"

Miles flushes slightly. "... If you don't want my company, I'll leave. After all, I'm sure Richard has room in his--"

"No!"

Miles flinches.

"Sorry." Phoenix flushes darkly, looking away. "I didn't mean to yell. Please stay. I... I'd love your company."

Miles gives him a smile.

"Alright, I'll stay."

They both stare at each other for a moment. Phoenix's learned a lot about Miles during their journey. Despite his reputation, he's more than that, so much more than that. Sure, he can be a jerk, but Phoenix knows that deep down, he's a good person.

"I'm surprised there's no one here with you."

Phoenix frowns. "Hm?"

Miles waves his hand dismissively. "I just mean... you'd get to spend the night with someone you'd like. _Anyone_ you'd like."

Phoenix looks away. "I suppose."

"And there's a lot of lovely women here, who... who I'm sure wouldn't say no to you." Miles sits down on the couch. "Plus, the girls in our party are lovely options as well."

Phoenix laughs a little, sitting beside him. "Uhm. Thanks for your concern, Miles, but I'm not interested in that."

Miles blinks at him. "What about your friend?"

"My friend?"

_Very specific, Miles._

"The one from Sylverant," Miles mumbles. "Your Chosen one. She..."

The Chosen from Sylverant. Iris. One of his closest friends to date. Phoenix had insisted on coming with her on her journey to save the world. Three best friends: Phoenix, Iris, and Maya. It feels like so long ago they were just classmates that only had to worry about getting homework done; getting to class on time; and making sure to not get in trouble so that Maya's sister, Mia, wouldn't scold them.

Who'd have known that this journey would take them this far?

"What about her?" Phoenix asks.

"She.. likes you, doesn't she?" Miles tilts his head. "I was sure you two were... or at least, that you felt the same."

Phoenix waves his hands in denial. "W-what? Me and Iris? N-no way. We're just friends, really!"

"Friends?" Miles looks down at his hands. "... I see."

 _He says it like it's a foreign concept_ , Phoenix thinks to himself. _Friends do things for each other, right?_

Iris Hawthorne has been one of his longest and closest friends, right next to Maya Fey. As the older of the trio, he's always felt protective of them. As he watched Iris go through her fate, suffering through becoming an angel, he can't help but feel as if he needs to do everything he can to save her.

... Is that... wrong for a friend to do?

"Well..." Phoenix taps his fingers together. "We're really good friends. I was really close to losing her back at the Tower-- well, our Tower of Salvation." Phoenix winces. "Wait, since our worlds are on... different dimensions connected through the tower... then it's the same Tower." He deflates. "Y-You know what I mean."

Miles chuckles at him, amused at the way he stumbles over his words and thoughts. "I do."

"Back when we realized this wasn't just a simple regeneration-of-the-world journey, it wasn't something I thought about." Phoenix clenches his fist. "It wasn't something I wanted to think about. My friends mean everything to me. I didn't want to think about what Iris would become after our journey."

"That... that she'd die and be resurrected as an angel, you mean?" Miles questions.

Phoenix nods, looking away. "My mistake was not thinking about it until it was too late. I saw that this whole thing was false, right there in front of my eyes. That this Goddess doesn't exist. That Iris wasn't going to actually save the world. That all of this was just a part of their stupid plan to resurrect some old, immortal person's pretty-much-dead sister."

Phoenix clenches his fist. "I don't want to sacrifice anyone anymore. I don't want there to be any sacrifices. They pit us against each other. The flow of mana, our life-source, between both worlds..." 

"Sylverant, my world, and Tethe'alla, your world... they both deserve to exist and flourish, not ... exist at the cost of each other."

Miles stays quiet.

"... Do you think I sound naive?" Phoenix turns back to him.

Miles blinks in surprise. "What?"

"I talk about this ideal world filled with hope... where half-elves aren't discriminated against... where Maya and Mia can live openly and freely as half-elves... where no one needs to die for the sake of other people... where people can live freely without fear and without hatred."

Miles blinks. "Do you want me to answer that honestly?"

Phoenix looks up. "W-what?"

He shakes his head, standing up. "Being naive is a relative thing, wouldn't you agree?" Miles glances down at him. 

"I..." Phoenix starts, trailing off.

"Do I think you sound naive?" Miles looks out the window. "... Yes."

Phoenix blinks. "Really?"

"Yes. Of course I do," he begins, looking back at Phoenix. Those eyes stare at him, almost staring past him, as if-- "I think you're naive. You're talking about a one in a billion chance here. Is that naive? Yes. Is it ridiculous? Absolutely. But Phoenix."

"Miles?"

"... Is that the hope that we're desperately clinging onto?"

Phoenix widens his eyes.

"Yes," Miles answers his own question. "It's a dream everyone can fight for. It's what we've all wanted; you were the one who set out for it."

"Well, no, there-- there are people I'm doing it for, obviously. Everyone who died because of my mistake at Iselia. Everyone who died at the Desian ranches. I'm doing this for them. And for everyone with us. And we're all doing it together - me, Iris, Maya, Mia... and you."

Miles gives him a smile. "You're a fool."

"What?"

"A fool," Miles repeats. "You're our _leader."_

"We-- we don't have a--"

"Maybe not officially. But your unwavering hope and optimism -- that is what keeps us going."

Phoenix raises his eyebrows.

"It is your dream that we fight for. But really, it's everyone's dream. You were the one who said we should go for it. And that's what we're doing. You're the one who gave us the strength to fight for a better world."

"Ah," Phoenix flushes slightly. "Miles, you're giving me so much credit."

"You fought for Iris's life. You stood up for Maya and Mia. You didn't let your dad's betrayal blind you to reality. You welcomed everyone in this party with open arms, no matter who they were. You are what keeps us all going, together."

Miles glances back at Phoenix. "You're the one who doesn't give yourself enough credit."

Phoenix smiles at him softly.

"We're going to do it. We're going to fight to save both of our worlds, together."

"We are," Miles agrees. "At any cost."

Phoenix frowns. "... I'll do whatever I can, to save the world without any sacrifices. I don't want my friends pulling the same tricks they did last time - sacrificing themselves apparently for the greater good."

Miles stays silent.

"You saved them."

"I did," Miles says, tilting his head.

Phoenix imagines it, the vision of Miles saving everyone in order: seeing him swooping in to save his friends from hoard of angels, from falling into pits, from weird plant monsters, and from weird magic traps. 

"And you really had us fooled with that fake betrayal of yours," Phoenix scoffs, then smiles. "Thank you, though. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there."

Miles winces. "It... I mean, the betrayal was kind of real. It was planned. I just decided to defect and help you all out from behind the scenes. And it's not like I'm going to let our entire party die, not on my watch."

Phoenix glances away. "Well..."

Miles gets up, refusing to make eye contact and simply staring at the ground. "I should be going now. Sorry for bothering you."

"Ah...?!" Phoenix shoots up, dashing forward to grasp at Miles' arm. "D-don't walk away. You're not bothering me, really. You can stay."

Miles turns back around, slightly confused. "... Are you sure you want _my_ presence? I'm sure you could probably do with Iris coming up here. Or even Maya. Tell me which and I'll go down and fetch them for you."

Phoenix narrows his eyes. "Stop that."

"What?" Miles blinks.

"I don't want them."

Miles widens his eyes.

"I want _you."_

"Me?" Miles laughs nervously. "I'm sure you've noticed, but I'm a guy. And your friend. And not even a great one at that. I'm sure you'd prefer the presence of someone else, of another gender--"

"I'm not interested in _them!_ I'm interested in _you!"_

Miles' jaw drops. "E-excuse me?"

"I-- er, well--" Phoenix flushes. "I'm bisexual. And Iris and Maya really are just my best friends. Plus, Maya's _totally_ sapphic and into your sister, just in case you didn't realize."

"Franziska?!" Miles gapes. "We've only collectively seen her about three times!"

Phoenix shrugs. "Hey, it's just what I see. Anyway, do you--"

"Wait, you like me?"

Phoenix deadpans. "Do I need to say it again?"

"Well..."

"One confession isn't enough for you? Okay, I'll say it again. Miles Edgeworth, I--"

Their lips meet awkwardly; Miles had swooped in to shut him up, causing their teeth to accidentally clang together. Phoenix winces, but as he feels Miles about to pull back and probably apologize, he grasps tightly onto Miles' clothes and brings him closer, refusing to let him go.

They part after a few seconds, breathing heavily, unsure of whether to continue (because god, that wasn't long enough, more, more, _more_ \--) but struggling to catch their breaths.

"You--"

"I--"

They both look away, hearts beating quickly. Their faces are flushed, though it could be from the heat or from the awkward kiss they just shared together.

"I didn't think you... that you were gay."

Phoenix laughs a little. "Uhm. Yep. I'm not... I'm not straight. I'm into everyone-- I think everyone is hot."

"... I see."

"Of course," Phoenix starts, smirking slightly. "I think you're the hottest of all."

Miles rolls his eyes.

"Just come over here and kiss me again."

"Yeah?"

Miles lets out a huff. "Come on, Phoenix, don't leave me hanging."

"Mmm, never," Phoenix chuckles as he leans back in.


End file.
